Thomas Jefferson School of Law
Encyclopedia
Thomas Jefferson School of Law, or TJSL, is an independent law school
in San Diego, California
. It offers a Juris Doctor
, and three Master of Laws
programs, including one that is exclusively online, as well as a combined J.D./M.B.A.
with San Diego State University
. Its law program is accredited by the American Bar Association.
and operated as such until 1995. It became independent in 1995 and received provisional accreditation from the American Bar Association (ABA) in 1996. It was given full ABA accreditation in 2001 and joined the Association of American Law Schools
in 2008.
In January 2011, TJSL opened a new campus located in the East Village district of downtown San Diego. The campus is an eight-story 305000 square feet (28,335.4 m²) building designed to comply with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
(LEED) Green Building requirements; it contains classrooms, a two-story law library (containing 1,250,598 volumes), offices, collaborative work areas, and a legal clinic. A variety of fossils found during construction, including mammoth
and whale bones, which were donated to the San Diego Natural History Museum
.
(LL.M.), JSM and JSD
"Doctor of Laws or Juridical Science" degrees. Certificate Programs in International Financial Centers, United States Taxation, E-commerce, Anti-Money Laundering & Compliance, and Trusts and Estate Planning are available. Faculty for the program are generally part time and populated with industry professionals from around the globe.
The program works with the Royal Society of Fellows, the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners
, the American Academy of Financial Management
, the International Legal Business Society, and other reputable organizations around the globe.
TJSL was listed with a "B+" in the March 2011 "Diversity Honor Roll" by The National Jurist: The Magazine for Law Students.
In January 2011, a New York Times article about the inability of many recent law school graduates to get jobs discussed Thomas Jefferson's claim that 92% of the class of 2009 was employed within nine months of graduation. The school's claim was based on a survey of the class of 2009. However, 25% of 2009 graduates who did not participate in the survey were counted as employed. In the New York Times article, the school's Associate Dean for Student Affairs attributed the average debt level to the school's admittance of immigrants and those who are the first in their familty to attend law school - people who are statistically more likely to lack individual or family resources.
U.S. News & World Report has reported that the average Thomas Jefferson student graduates with $131,800 in debt and 95% of students graduate in debt.
and an attorney admitted to the State Bar of California in 2008, estimates the class size to be 2,300 students, and she seeks over $50,000,000 in damages and restitution. While at TJLS, she served as the Women's Law Association President. The school has filed a demurrer
in the case contending, basically, that Alaburda is simply suffering buyer's remorse
.
The TJLS Center for Law and Intellectual Property has course offerings in copyright
, patent
, trademark
and unfair competition law as well as cyberspace
law, biotechnology
law and bioethics
, telecommunications and media law, and sports and entertainment law.
credit. Programs include a Intellectual Property Career Day presented in cooperation with Thomas Jefferson’s Career Office. IPLA has also presented a Patents in China event in cooperation with IP law firm.
. In 2007, the Center inaugurated a summer study program at Zhejiang University
College of Law in Hangzhou
, China
. TJSL also offers a summer study program in Nice
, France
.
, civil liberties
, international human rights, and equal access to justice. Courses include traditional courses in civil rights, civil liberties, international human rights, employment law, and courses that address current issues such as gender
and controlled substances law. In 2010, TJSL presented distinguished speakers whose own scholarly work relates to social justice concerns, co-sponsored by UCLA School of Law’s Critical Race Studies program, at the 10th Annual Women and the Law Conference.
s, anti-money laundering, wealth management
, compliance (regulation)
and E-commerce. The Diamond program offers the degrees of LL.M., JSM, and a research doctorate JSD. Courses are taught by full- and part-time instructors.
32°42′37.59"N 117°09′15.83"W
Law school in the United States
In the United States, a law school is an institution where students obtain a professional education in law after first obtaining an undergraduate degree.Law schools in the U.S...
in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
. It offers a Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
, and three Master of Laws
Master of Laws
The Master of Laws is an advanced academic degree, pursued by those holding a professional law degree, and is commonly abbreviated LL.M. from its Latin name, Legum Magister. The University of Oxford names its taught masters of laws B.C.L...
programs, including one that is exclusively online, as well as a combined J.D./M.B.A.
J.D./M.B.A.
A J.D./M.B.A. or M.B.A./J.D. is a dual degree program offered jointly by many law and business schools. The program generally lasts four years and results in the candidate earning both a Juris Doctor degree and a Master of Business Administration degree...
with San Diego State University
San Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
. Its law program is accredited by the American Bar Association.
History
The Thomas Jefferson School of Law was originally founded in 1969 as the San Diego campus of the for profit Western State University College of LawWestern State University College of Law
Western State University, College of Law is a private, for-profit American law school in Fullerton, California. It was the first law school established in Orange County and has over 11,000 alumni....
and operated as such until 1995. It became independent in 1995 and received provisional accreditation from the American Bar Association (ABA) in 1996. It was given full ABA accreditation in 2001 and joined the Association of American Law Schools
Association of American Law Schools
The Association of American Law Schools is a non-profit organization of 170 law schools in the United States. Another 25 schools are "non-member fee paid" schools, which are not members but choose to pay AALS dues. Its purpose is to improve the legal profession through the improvement of legal...
in 2008.
In January 2011, TJSL opened a new campus located in the East Village district of downtown San Diego. The campus is an eight-story 305000 square feet (28,335.4 m²) building designed to comply with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design consists of a suite of rating systems for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings, homes and neighborhoods....
(LEED) Green Building requirements; it contains classrooms, a two-story law library (containing 1,250,598 volumes), offices, collaborative work areas, and a legal clinic. A variety of fossils found during construction, including mammoth
Mammoth
A mammoth is any species of the extinct genus Mammuthus. These proboscideans are members of Elephantidae, the family of elephants and mammoths, and close relatives of modern elephants. They were often equipped with long curved tusks and, in northern species, a covering of long hair...
and whale bones, which were donated to the San Diego Natural History Museum
San Diego Natural History Museum
The San Diego Natural History Museum was founded in 1874 as the San Diego Society of Natural History. The present location of the museum in San Diego's Balboa Park was dedicated on January 14, 1933....
.
Academics
The program offers Master of LawsMaster of Laws
The Master of Laws is an advanced academic degree, pursued by those holding a professional law degree, and is commonly abbreviated LL.M. from its Latin name, Legum Magister. The University of Oxford names its taught masters of laws B.C.L...
(LL.M.), JSM and JSD
JSD
JSD is a three-letter abbreviation with multiple meanings, as described below:* Jensen-Shannon divergence* Jackson System Development* Doctor of Juridical Science* Joint Service Designation, For defence* Joint science department* Joint standard deviation...
"Doctor of Laws or Juridical Science" degrees. Certificate Programs in International Financial Centers, United States Taxation, E-commerce, Anti-Money Laundering & Compliance, and Trusts and Estate Planning are available. Faculty for the program are generally part time and populated with industry professionals from around the globe.
The program works with the Royal Society of Fellows, the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners
Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners
STEP was founded by George Tasker in 1991 and is the international professional body for workers in the trust industry and the field of estate administration...
, the American Academy of Financial Management
American Academy of Financial Management
The American Academy of Financial Management is a USA-based board of standards, certifying body, and accreditation council dedicated to the finance sector and management professionals....
, the International Legal Business Society, and other reputable organizations around the globe.
Admissions
Students begin classes in January or August, attend the three-year, full-time program or the four-year, part-time program, and accelerate graduation one semester by taking additional classes during the summer. Day and evening classes are offered.TJSL was listed with a "B+" in the March 2011 "Diversity Honor Roll" by The National Jurist: The Magazine for Law Students.
Post-graduation employment
Based on the most recent American Bar Association Data, 86.4% of Thomas Jefferson Law graduates were employed 9 months after graduation.In January 2011, a New York Times article about the inability of many recent law school graduates to get jobs discussed Thomas Jefferson's claim that 92% of the class of 2009 was employed within nine months of graduation. The school's claim was based on a survey of the class of 2009. However, 25% of 2009 graduates who did not participate in the survey were counted as employed. In the New York Times article, the school's Associate Dean for Student Affairs attributed the average debt level to the school's admittance of immigrants and those who are the first in their familty to attend law school - people who are statistically more likely to lack individual or family resources.
U.S. News & World Report has reported that the average Thomas Jefferson student graduates with $131,800 in debt and 95% of students graduate in debt.
May 2011 class action lawsuit against TJSL
On May 26, 2011, TJSL graduate Anna Alaburda filed a class action complaint against the school for unfair business practices, false advertising, fraud, violation of the California Consumers Legal Remedies Act, and negligent misrepresentation, accusing the school of intentionally misrepresenting its post-graduation employment and salary statistics to attract new students. Alaburda, a graduate of New York UniversityNew York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
and an attorney admitted to the State Bar of California in 2008, estimates the class size to be 2,300 students, and she seeks over $50,000,000 in damages and restitution. While at TJLS, she served as the Women's Law Association President. The school has filed a demurrer
Demurrer
A demurrer is a pleading in a lawsuit that objects to or challenges a pleading filed by an opposing party. The word demur means "to object"; a demurrer is the document that makes the objection...
in the case contending, basically, that Alaburda is simply suffering buyer's remorse
Buyer's remorse
Buyer's remorse is the sense of regret after having made a purchase. It is frequently associated with the purchase of an expensive item such as a car or house...
.
Intellectual Property Fellowship Program
In 2009, TJSL initiated an Intellectual Property Fellowship Program for students with undergraduate or advanced degrees in the hard sciences or engineering. The William Mitchell College of Law Intellectual Property Law Institute ranked TJLS 15th nationwide for its Intellectual Property course offerings.The TJLS Center for Law and Intellectual Property has course offerings in copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
, patent
Patent
A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
, trademark
Trademark
A trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
and unfair competition law as well as cyberspace
Cyberspace
Cyberspace is the electronic medium of computer networks, in which online communication takes place.The term "cyberspace" was first used by the cyberpunk science fiction author William Gibson, though the concept was described somewhat earlier, for example in the Vernor Vinge short story "True...
law, biotechnology
Biotechnology
Biotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
law and bioethics
Bioethics
Bioethics is the study of controversial ethics brought about by advances in biology and medicine. Bioethicists are concerned with the ethical questions that arise in the relationships among life sciences, biotechnology, medicine, politics, law, and philosophy....
, telecommunications and media law, and sports and entertainment law.
Intellectual Property Law Association (IPLA)
The law school has an Intellectual Property Law Association (IPLA) which offers Continuing Legal EducationContinuing Legal Education
Continuing legal education is professional education of lawyers that takes place after their initial admission to the bar. In many states in the United States, CLE participation is required of attorneys to maintain their license to practice law...
credit. Programs include a Intellectual Property Career Day presented in cooperation with Thomas Jefferson’s Career Office. IPLA has also presented a Patents in China event in cooperation with IP law firm.
International law
The Center for Global Legal Studies offers a specialized program in international lawInternational law
Public international law concerns the structure and conduct of sovereign states; analogous entities, such as the Holy See; and intergovernmental organizations. To a lesser degree, international law also may affect multinational corporations and individuals, an impact increasingly evolving beyond...
. In 2007, the Center inaugurated a summer study program at Zhejiang University
Zhejiang University
Zhejiang University , sometimes referred to as Zheda, is a national university in China. Founded in 1897, Zhejiang University is one of China's oldest institutions of higher education...
College of Law in Hangzhou
Hangzhou
Hangzhou , formerly transliterated as Hangchow, is the capital and largest city of Zhejiang Province in Eastern China. Governed as a sub-provincial city, and as of 2010, its entire administrative division or prefecture had a registered population of 8.7 million people...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. TJSL also offers a summer study program in Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Social Justice Center
The Center for Law and Social Justice is a research and teaching program in areas of public policy and law relating to civil rightsCivil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
, civil liberties
Civil liberties
Civil liberties are rights and freedoms that provide an individual specific rights such as the freedom from slavery and forced labour, freedom from torture and death, the right to liberty and security, right to a fair trial, the right to defend one's self, the right to own and bear arms, the right...
, international human rights, and equal access to justice. Courses include traditional courses in civil rights, civil liberties, international human rights, employment law, and courses that address current issues such as gender
Gender
Gender is a range of characteristics used to distinguish between males and females, particularly in the cases of men and women and the masculine and feminine attributes assigned to them. Depending on the context, the discriminating characteristics vary from sex to social role to gender identity...
and controlled substances law. In 2010, TJSL presented distinguished speakers whose own scholarly work relates to social justice concerns, co-sponsored by UCLA School of Law’s Critical Race Studies program, at the 10th Annual Women and the Law Conference.
Graduate Tax LLM Program
The "Diamond Law School Graduate Tax LLM Program - Online" was founded in 1998, by Professor William H. Byrnes. The curriculum includes International Taxation, Offshore Financial CentreOffshore financial centre
An offshore financial centre , though not precisely defined, is usually a small, low-tax jurisdiction specializing in providing corporate and commercial services to non-resident offshore companies, and for the investment of offshore funds....
s, anti-money laundering, wealth management
Wealth management
Wealth management is an investment advisory discipline that incorporates financial planning, investment portfolio management and a number of aggregated financial services...
, compliance (regulation)
Compliance (regulation)
In general, compliance means conforming to a rule, such as a specification, policy, standard or law. Regulatory compliance describes the goal that corporations or public agencies aspire to in their efforts to ensure that personnel are aware of and take steps to comply with relevant laws and...
and E-commerce. The Diamond program offers the degrees of LL.M., JSM, and a research doctorate JSD. Courses are taught by full- and part-time instructors.
Alumni
- Roger T. BenitezRoger T. Benitez-Early life and education:Born in Havana, Cuba, Benitez received an A.A. from Imperial Valley College in 1971, a B.A. from San Diego State University in 1974, and a J.D. from Western State University College of Law in 1978.-Career:...
'78 – Federal Judge of the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of California - Bonnie DumanisBonnie DumanisBonnie M. Dumanis is currently the District Attorney of San Diego County. Dumanis has been the District Attorney since 2003, when she defeated incumbent Paul Pfingst. Dumanis is currently running for Mayor of San Diego.Dumanis, a Republican, is the first openly gay or lesbian DA in the country...
'76 – First openly gay or lesbian DA in the country. Also the first Jewish woman DA in San Diego - Duncan HunterDuncan HunterDuncan Lee Hunter is an American politician. He was a Republican member of the House of Representatives from California's 52nd, 45th and 42nd districts from 1981 to 2009....
'76 – Republican member of the House of Representatives from California's 52nd, 45th and 42nd districts from 1981 to 2009 and 2008 presidential candidatePresident of the United StatesThe President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces.... - Jessica KingJessica KingFor the American dancer, see So You Think You Can Dance finalists#Jessica King.Jessica King is a Democratic member of the Wisconsin Senate, representing the 18th Wisconsin District since 2011...
'01 - Wisconsin professor and state senator-elect - Lillian LimLillian LimLillian Y. Lim is a former San Diego Superior Court of California judge who retired in 2007. She was the first Filipina judge in the United States....
'77 – Former California Superior Court Judge and the first Filipina judge in the U.S.
Faculty
- Marjorie CohnMarjorie CohnMarjorie Cohn is a professor of law at the Thomas Jefferson School of Law, San Diego, California, and a former president of the National Lawyers Guild.In 1978 Cohn received a job in the International Association of Democratic Lawyers...
– Former president of the National Lawyers GuildNational Lawyers GuildThe National Lawyers Guild is an advocacy group in the United States "dedicated to the need for basic and progressive change in the structure of our political and economic system . ....
and book author
External links
32°42′37.59"N 117°09′15.83"W